Oppo will unfurl its folding smartphone at the 2019 Mobile World Conference

Get ready for a future with a bend in it — 2019 looks set to be the year of the folding smartphone. Multiple manufacturers are tipped to be releasing folding smartphones in one form or another, including Samsung, Huawei, and LG. You can another name to that list, because it seems Chinese phone manufacturer Oppo will be releasing a folding smartphone, too — and it will be coming to MWC 2019.

According to Dutch tech site LetsGoDigital, the news was confirmed by the product manager of Oppo, Chuck Wang, in a gathering of Dutch journalists at Oppo’s headquarters in Shenzhen, China. While he was unable to share any details about the phone itself, he was able to confirm that the phone would be showcased at Mobile World Conference 2019, which takes place in Barcelona, Spain at the end of February.

No specs have currently been shared, but it would be safe to assume that a new folding smartphone would be the jewel in any phone manufacturer’s crown. Therefore, we expect to find flagship specs on such a phone. Despite knowing that the phone will fold, there’s also remarkably little else we know about the potential design. Apple has applied for multiple patents for the shape of a foldable iPhone, showing the versatility of such technology. Oppo has also looked at a variety of designs for such a device, leaving us unsure what the eventual look of an Oppo folding smartphone will be.

Oppo isn’t a name that’s particularly well known in the West, but it’s a huge phone manufacturer in other territories. Oppo regularly comes in fifth place as the world’s largest phone manufacturer — making a bigger player than HTC, LG, or Sony. Oppo made waves in 2018 with the Oppo Find X — a revolutionary smartphone that cut out all bezels, and that used a mechanical slide to hide the phone’s camera from view. Oppo’s interest in the cutting edge of mobile technology is clear, and it’s not afraid to put its money where its mouth is. According to that same meeting, Oppo is increasing research & development funding to 10 billion Chinese yuan — roughly $1.4 billion dollars.

What’s the upshot of a potential Oppo folding smartphone? Price. With Samsung’s foldable phone rumored to cost up to an eye-watering $2,500, an Oppo phone could provide a much cheaper alternative for anyone looking to get some folding action.

The Motorola Razr V3 is one of the world's most iconic phones, and it could be making a stylistic return in the form of a foldable Motorola smartphone -- but it may cost around $1,500. Is the nostalgia worth it?

Samsung has been showcasing bendable display tech for a few years and now a folding smartphone might finally arrive. The Galaxy X, or perhaps the Galaxy Fold, may be the company's first example. Here's everything we know about it.

On this episode of Digital Trends Live we discussed trending headlines like foldable smartphones and advertising in space. We also sat down with Caleb Denison and Ronan Glon to talk about the world of tech post CES 2019.

If you have an Apple Watch, you know how easy it is to take off the strap it came with, so why not buy yourself another one? Here, we've gathered the best Apple Watch bands we've seen so far. There's something for everyone.

Selecting an iPad from Apple's lineup can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. Our comprehensive guide should put the numbers and specs in practical, easy-to-understand terms. Find your ideal iPad with the help of our guide.

The Cat S48c is a rugged smartphone that's available from Sprint. It mixes midrange specs with a huge battery wrapped in an extremely tough and protective body. If you need a phone that can survive the construction site, then this is it.

Apple quietly started selling the iPhone SE again, at even lower prices than when it was discontinued four months ago. Brand new units of the 32GB version are on sale for $249, while the 128GB version is going for $299.

A malware researcher found that 19 free Android navigation apps on the Google Play Store were nothing more than Google Maps, but with ads. One of the apps asked for a payment to remove the ads, while some of them presented security risks.

Google Maps will now start showing speed limits and speed camera locations, so that drivers will not be flagged for speeding tickets. The new features arrive to the app years after they were introduced in Waze.

These days, most people tend to favor digital messages over phone calls. We have the best messaging apps that allow you to share photos and documents, send text messages, and more with end-to-end encryption.

2019 will be a huge year for T-Mobile. Not only is a merger with Sprint likely, but T-Mobile is also in the midst of building out its next-generation mobile service. Here's everything you need to know about the T-Mobile 5G rollout.

Verizon is in the midst of a massive 5G rollout. In addition to fixed 5G service, it will also begin deploying mobile 5G in the coming months. Here's everything you need to know about Verizon's 5G network and when it will be in your town.